The Imperial Way of Life
by Girlbender875
Summary: A compilation of short stories surrounding Imperial officers, officers-in-training, or Imperials during the Clone Wars. Summaries for individual short stories inside.
1. Military Mishap: A Mission

**Hello! These short stories are surrounding Imperials during or before the Empire, and they're actually based on characters in my story "Little One". If you haven't read that story, you can still read these without getting confused. Ratings and genres depend purely upon the short story of the time! Here's the first one:  
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**Title:** Military Mishap

**Rating:** K+

**Genres: **Action/Adventure

**Summary:** When Ens. Kobayashi Beillane intends to take a day off, he suddenly finds himself going on a mission where he ends up in… a bit of a situation.

**Main character:** Kobayashi Beillane**  
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**Disclaimer:** Don't own Star Wars… but I do own Koby.

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><p>The Super Star Destroyer <em>Executor<em> was massive. It was nineteen thousand meters long. It held five thousand turbolasers and ion cannons, forty tractor beam emitters, and two hundred fifty heavy concussion missile batteries. Its crew consisted of about two hundred eighty thousand people and ten thousand droids. It had enough storage space to carry two hundred fifty thousand metric tons of cargo. It was a very foreboding sight to behold… particularly if one was a new recruit.

On Deck 75 sat numerous hangar bays. This deck also held one of the few places that officers and crew alike could simply relax at their leisure.

The lounge was a large and comfortable place. Double sided couches faced each other with tables in between while the walls were covered with holographic images of peaceful scenery. A dejarik table sat off to the side. A silver TC-series protocol droid wandered about the room, serving the Imperials.

When it approached a young pale ensign, it leaned forward. "Would you like anything to eat or drink, ensign?"

The ensign shook his head. "No, thanks,"

"Would you like anything at all?" it asked in its feminine voice.

"No," the ensign responded again.

"I make a great cup of tea," the protocol droid persisted.

The ensign shot it an irritated look. "I said _no_, thanks."

The droid made a sound that was unmistakably a huff before stalking off. A lieutenant approached the small ensign, who immediately stood and saluted him.

The lieutenant, a tall sinewy blonde man watched him with intelligent blue eyes. His trimmed moustache twitched as he gave a smile and returned the salute. "Don't mind the protocol droid, ensign. Its programming's been tampered with so many times by the engineering division that the only thing vaguely protocol about it is its name."

The ensign nodded, his thin brown eyes staring at the lieutenant without blinking. "Am I needed sir?"

"Not immediately; sit down," the lieutenant motioned towards the couch where the ensign had been seated. The ensign sat, waiting for the lieutenant to say something.

"You are Ens. Kobayashi Beillane, yes?" the lieutenant prompted in a baritone voice as he sat across from the young ensign.

Kobayashi nodded and responded in his high Coruscanti accent. "Yes, sir, that's me."

"My name is Lt. Kerrick Chelcu," the lieutenant said. "I have been given an assignment and I require assistance. I checked over the lists and found you to be quite a capable ensign. You've only been out of the academy for three months and you already have an impressive record. Your superiors think very highly of you, Ens. Beillane."

"Kobayashi, please, sir," Kobayashi intoned politely. "We are in the lounge, after all."

Lt. Chelcu raised an eyebrow but smiled nonetheless. "That's another thing I've read about you, Kobayashi; you're not afraid of your superiors."

"No, sir," Kobayashi confirmed. "I don't see a reason to be; as long as I do as I'm supposed to I don't have to fear anything."

"A good thought, ensign," Lt. Chelcu nodded. "Now, as I was saying, you are a very capable ensign. Therefore, I'm bringing you with me on my assignment."

Kobayashi raised an eyebrow. "What sort of assignment, sir?"

"Oh, you will find out shortly," Lt. Chelcu replied and stood. "I will meet you in briefing room senth at 0600 hours tomorrow. I look forward to working with you, Kobayashi."

With that said, the lieutenant walked away and exited the lounge. Kobayashi sighed and leaned back in the couch. He had never had any particularly special assignment in his three months of serving on the _Executor_ so far. He simply did the regular duties of an ensign. He mainly worked as a secretary of sorts for the junior officers and supervised the enlisted crew.

Kobayashi had to admit that despite his not being intimidated by his superiors, the ship itself scared him. It was a very foreboding sort of place. Even its title held a dark and dreary connotation. Kobayashi wasn't afraid of its crew, though; after all, he had met many people in his life and was taught from an early age how to handle any sort of social situation. The only things that unnerved Kobayashi about his new life were the ship and the ship's commanding officer and commander-in-chief of the army and navy, Lord Darth Vader.

Being intimidated by Lord Vader was no secret and certainly nothing new. Many officers and most of the enlisted men were terrified of the dark armored man (if he was even a man—he certainly wasn't in Kobayashi's opinion). There were a number of men who simply dealt with the suited terror and knew their duty, and there were a few who hated him more than feared him. Kobayashi never hated anyone; he always looked for the good in people. However, he didn't like him either; Darth Vader wasn't a person.

Pushing the distressing thought away, Kobayashi leaned back and watched as the protocol droid pestered someone else. So he had to go on a mission; that would be fun.

If only he didn't have that annoying paperwork to do. It was supposed to be his day off after all.

Sighing, Kobayashi stared at the pile of data pads on the table before him. He really hated paperwork. It was slow and disabled him from doing anything useful. Paperwork did have its uses, but it was for someone else to do, not Kobayashi. He preferred to get his hands dirty.

Kobayashi soon discovered that he was actually thirsty after all, but thought it would probably be safer to get a drink at the mess hall rather than from the protocol droid, which was now shooing a poor mouse droid out of the room.

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><p>The next morning, Kobayashi rose at five fifteen to shower, dress, eat, and get to the briefing room on time. He wondered what the mission was going to be.<p>

Kobayashi stood in the turbolift as it sped to deck eighty-four. It stopped and he stepped out, promptly heading down the grey hallway with a purpose. As he entered the briefing room, he took a fleeting glimpse at the room, never having been in there before now. The room was a relatively small size, at least from what Kobayashi expected; however, there were numerous briefing rooms on this deck, so it did not need to be enormous. There was nothing except for a large holographic table in the center of the grey room.

Lt. Chelcu was not the only one in the room. While the lieutenant stood directly across from the door and Kobayashi, patiently waiting with his hands clasped casually behind his back, an ensign who was slightly older than Kobayashi stood to Lt. Chelcu's right. The ensign was of average height and rather skinny, though not as skinny as Kobayashi, and had a fair complexion. The man was certainly far more casual than most officers, growing his hair a little so it dangled slightly above his neck. He had a fuzzy moustache and wide bright blue eyes under thick eyebrows. He sniffled with his small nose and stood at attention watching the lieutenant.

Across from the ensign was a rather short individual. He was a fellow ensign and Kobayashi had seen him on occasion. The man had an unfortunately large fair-skinned nose placed between his chestnut eyes. His flaming red hair was slightly spiky but cut short enough where it was not a problem. To his left was a first lieutenant, whose nearly nonexistent nose stood in contrast, and whose small green eyes were similar to Kobayashi's in size. However, he did not have Kobayashi's pale skin; his complexion was more of a waxy color. His thick black hair sat well groomed on his head.

Kobayashi saluted the first lieutenant and then Lt. Chelcu, who both returned the salutes. Kobayashi then took his place across from the lieutenant.

"Good morning, men," the lieutenant began. He then proceeded to introduce the officers to each other. The blonde ensign to Kobayashi's left was named Ooke Tunrott, while the other ensign was Nydo Velrom. The first lieutenant was Johsmi Vecap. Once the introductions were finished, Lt. Chelcu continued. "Now listen carefully. How many of you know anything about a planet called Pillasium?"

1st Lt. Vecap said, "It's a peaceful planet in the Caluula System, sir. Pillasium is also well known for its copper rivers. Tactically speaking it doesn't have any important bases or command posts."

"Yes, that is all true," Lt. Chelcu nodded. "But despite its peaceful appearance, Pillasium is a very important planet for the Empire. You see, it is just two systems away from the Raxus System. You all know what important Imperial post is in that system, do you not?"

Ens. Tunrott nodded with a laugh as if it were obvious. When he spoke, his voice held no Coruscanti accent. Instead, it held a mild accent vaguely similar to one, but with more of a drawl to it. "Of course I know, sir; who doesn't? The Raxus System contains Raxus Prime, which has a shipyard building dozens of Star Destroyers."

"Exactly," Lt. Chelcu said. "We have an outpost established on Pillasium for this very reason. However, it has been captured by Rebels."

Upon saying this, Lt. Chelcu selected something on the panel on the holographic table. A hologram of Pillasium appeared. The planet was a lush world with one large continent stretching around it. The ocean water was a pure clean blue, but all water on the continent was bright red. The hologram then zoomed into the planet in a valley two hundred kilometers from the nearest town. An Imperial symbol appeared in blue on a specific spot. The lieutenant pointed to it. "This is the outpost. Rebels overtook it one week ago. If they continue to hold possession of this post, they can move a fleet to Raxus Prime and destroy countless Star Destroyers along with the facility. We cannot allow that to happen. We must recapture this outpost and destroy the Rebel presence on the planet. It is believed that they have established a base just across from the outpost, so both will have to be dealt a swift death."

"If I may ask, sir," Kobayashi piped in. "This is a job for the army; what do we have to do with it?"

"A fair question," Lt. Chelcu acknowledged. "You have been chosen to accompany me because I am going down to command a squadron from our fleet which will accompany the army troops; the squadron that would normally accompany them is unavailable, mainly due to its near destruction from their last battle.

"So here are the reasons for your selection. Ens. Tunrott, you are a promising engineer; you are intelligent, intuitive, and can solve any technical problem. You will be supervising the technicians while we're down there. Make sure the squadron gets everything it requires. 1st Lt. Vecap, you are to oversee this and report to me. Ens. Beillane, you and Ens. Velrom will be my aides.

"Now, we will be going planet-fall in ten standard hours. Meet me in hangar bay twenty-eight on deck seventy-seven. We will go down with Major General Ulas Reed. You have your orders."

The four lower ranking officers then saluted Lt. Chelcu and exited the room.

Kobayashi immediately struck up a conversation with his newfound friends. "I've always wanted to see the copper rivers of Pillasium! This should be an interesting venture, don't you all think so?"

Ens. Tunrott shrugged. "I s'ppose. Personally, I'm more interested in the squadron than the water… although I guess it could be worth a look."

"So where are you all from?" Kobayashi asked.

1st Lt. Vecap answered, "I was serving in the Victory Fleet in the Bright Jewel Oversector before coming here. Death Squadron isn't as big as the fleet in the oversector, but I would definitely say it's more destructive and certainly more powerful. I've been in the navy for about five years now."

"You've been here for five years?" the ensigns all suddenly grew interested in their superior. "That would mean you were in the war!"

"Yes, I served in the Clone War," the first lieutenant let out with a short laugh. "The bloodiest battles I've ever seen were in that war…"

"Did you fight in any big battles, sir?" Ens. Velrom asked.

"I fought the Separatist fleet for control of Jovan Station in the Jovan System," 1st Lt. Vecap shrugged. "That was the most action I ever saw—but I still dream about that battle. I lost so many friends that day… the Separatists were ruthless. You cannot imagine how grateful I am that they have been eliminated and all sympathizers executed. Those demons didn't deserve to live."

The ensigns were silent, so the first lieutenant continued the conversation. "Well what about all of you?"

"I'm from Pedd 4," Kobayashi lied. "I grew up in Aipic City. When my parents died, I enrolled in the academy. I just graduated three months ago."

"Sorry to hear about your parents," Ens. Tunrott intoned. "I still have both of mine as well as two sisters and I'm very happy for it. I didn't grow up in any city; my home is out in the country on Corulag. I can't stand cities, really."

"Oh, I love cities," Ens. Velrom said dreamily. "The smell, the bustle, the hype… I would go insane out in the country. I grew up on Coruscant, after all; cities are in my blood."

Kobayashi laughed with the others, enjoying the conversation. The four then went their separate ways to work for the day.

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><p>Ten hours later, Kobayashi stood in hangar bay twenty-eight leaning against the wall as he watched the army begin to board their ships. Large AT-AT barges, builder shuttles, and light transports all sat waiting, their engines singing. Pilots rushed to and fro and so many people were talking that the room hummed with voices.<p>

Kobayashi noticed that his fellow navy officers were boarding a light transport and followed, boarding last. He sat next to the window on the starboard side and leaned back, relaxing. The idea of simply being the lieutenant's aide was rather dull, but it at least meant going to a planet and being able to wander on solid ground. Kobayashi didn't have any qualms with being on a ship; however, never getting off a ship for three months could take its toll on a man. Kobayashi was more than eager to see Pillasium.

The landing ramp closed and the engines roared as Kobayashi felt the hangar floor vanish beneath his feet. The shuttle hovered in place as the pilot flying it waited for clearance to leave. Other ships left, some alone due to their size and some in pairs.

After hovering for about twenty minutes, the shuttle finally flew towards the hangar bay doors, flying through the light shielding and speeding towards the planet. The instant the ship passed through the shields, all echoing heard from outside immediately vanished. Any sounds heard came from inside the ship itself; the vacuum of space sucked away the rest.

The ride was smooth, thankfully; the deployment zone was far from the Rebels since they had anti-aircraft turrets stationed everywhere. While their location allowed for a safe landing, it also meant a longer trek to the Rebels' encampment.

Kobayashi looked out the window and watched the shuttle's wings fold upward for the landing. When they bounced lightly on the ground and Kobayashi felt gravity forcing him into his seat, he promptly unbuckled and stood with the others. He disembarked a minute later when the ramp lowered.

The sound of shuttle engines pierced his ears as numerous ships flew about the area. AT-AT barges were dropping All Terrain Scout Transports and troop carriers as well as All Terrain Anti-Aircraft walkers. Endless small transports dropped off stormtroopers and All Terrain Personal Transports, as well as speeder bikes. Builder shuttles dropped off a prefabricated garrison base, auto-turret defense system-which engineers quickly began to link to the command base-auxiliary control, flight control, an enormous flight deck, a repair bay, and a med center.

People ran to and fro making sure everything was arriving safely and connecting everything. Medical droids made their way towards the newly arrived med center while repair droids went to the repair bay. Stormtroopers entered the base while drivers took their walkers towards the bays within the command center.

Kobayashi followed Lt. Chelcu as he walked towards the flight deck. The scream of TIE fighters echoed in the air as the squadron arrived and landed on the flight deck as flight control directed.

Lt. Chelcu faced Ens. Tunrott and motioned towards the flight deck, squinting against the whipping wind being stirred up due to the activity. "Ensign, get to the flight deck!"

Ens. Tunrott nodded and yelled some sort of response over the din, but Kobayashi didn't hear it. The ensign then ran towards the flight deck alongside 1st Lt. Vecap. Ens. Velrom and Kobayashi followed Lt. Chelcu into the command center upon its being assembled by technicians.

The prefabricated garrison base was enormous. It held eight levels above ground which were large in size. Two AT-AT walkers could stack on each other and the driver of the top AT-AT would not be able to look at the spire on the top of the command base. The base housed three thousand personnel to keep it running effectively.

Lt. Chelcu entered the cavernous hall, flanked by the two ensigns. He walked straight towards the turbolift as engineers and base personnel rushed all around them to set everything up correctly. The doors to the turbolift closed behind the three navy officers and the turbolift sped to level six. When they arrived, Kobayashi saw army officers everywhere heading somewhere to the right. Lt. Chelcu followed them and the ensigns followed the lieutenant.

Kobayashi soon realized they were heading towards a meeting room of sorts. Upon entering the board room, Kobayashi saw just how many army officers there were.

The room was large with an oval table in the center, and at the head of the table across from the door stood Maj. General Ulas Reed. The man was tall with broad shoulders and a fuzzy white moustache and beard. His cold brown eyes scrutinized everyone in the room.

Lt. Chelcu took his place ten seats from the major general. Ens. Velrom and Kobayashi flanked him once more.

Looking around the table, Kobayashi saw two intelligence officers, a medical officer, three technical officers, a science officer, and a colonel.

Before the meeting began, Lt. Chelcu faced the two ensigns. "Why don't you two settle into your rooms? The information for everything is on these data pads, so don't lose them."

The lieutenant handed the two ensigns data pads and shooed them out of the room. Kobayashi accessed the map and looked at the locations. Officer quarters were on level six, which was the level in which they were standing.

Ens. Velrom sighed. "It looks like we're sharing quarters."

Kobayashi smiled. "Sounds like fun to me; we'll stay up all hours partying and they'll never know it."

Ens. Velrom gave a polite smile. "I suppose,"

Nydo Velrom didn't strike Kobayashi as the most excitable person.

The rest of the day was spent getting a feel for the base. Kobayashi reunited with Ensign Ooke Tunrott who would be sharing the room with them as well. 1st. Lt. Vecap and Lt. Chelcu had their own quarters. Kobayashi decided to spend his time going for a walk and proceeded to meet and befriend most of the stormtroopers in the command base before dinner.

After an eventful meal in which Kobayashi was then promptly introduced to an entire stormtrooper platoon, Kobayashi decided that a good night's sleep would be the best way to start his new assignment.

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><p><strong>Yeah, if you hadn't noticed, this story was published as a standalone with the same title, but I didn't want to do a bunch of short stories that only Little One readers would be interested in, so I'm compiling them all together. Review!<br>**


	2. Military Mishap: Air Raids and Artillery

Kobayashi awoke with the sun the next morning, which on Pillasium was at four in the morning. Ooke was twisted in his blankets, his mouth hanging open while Nydo's cot was empty.

Kobayashi quickly dressed and exited, going to the flight deck where the naval squadron's ships sat. Technical personnel were already awake and working to keep everything in order. Off in the distance Kobayashi saw more technicians setting up equipment on the perimeter.

"Good morning,"

Kobayashi jumped slightly and turned to see an army sergeant smiling pleasantly. "Oh, hello,"

"You're up rather early," the sergeant commented.

"Oh, I like rising with the sun," Kobayashi said with a slight smile. "That is, when there's a sun to rise with,"

The sergeant laughed. "Ah, yes, you space hoppers don't get much sun, do you? I can tell by your pale skin."

Kobayashi's smile grew as he joined the sergeant in laughter. "Sorry, that's inherited, not obtained through swimming in the darkness of space. My name's Kobayashi, by the way. Ensign Kobayashi Beillane,"

"Sergeant Ryy Cantre," the dark-skinned sergeant introduced himself with a nod. "I don't normally interact with you space hoppers too often."

"I have to admit this is the first time I've met a dirt kisser," Kobayashi returned.

Ryy raised an eyebrow, but an amused twinkle glittered in his green eyes. "I like you, ensign."

Kobayashi simply shrugged. "I've heard that I'm a likeable man."

"Indeed you are," Ryy said. "Well, I'd best be going now. If you ever want to see me, simply find my squad. We're the Rancor Squad."

"Somehow that's appropriate," Kobayashi commented as he looked over the man's large muscular build with another joking laugh which the sergeant joined in. The two then went their separate ways after a quick good-bye.

An hour and a half later, Kobayashi ran into Ooke. "Good morning,"

"Mornin'," Ooke yawned. "I hope you know that Nydo is hopping around like a nexu with you gone. I think he's got a promotion in mind if he does all the work instead of sharing it with you."

Kobayashi shrugged. "I simply do my duty. I don't care if Nydo takes extra work just to get a quick promotion. I'll get promoted when I'm ready."

Ooke smiled. "Sounds like the right attitude to me. Still, I think you should go to Lt. Chelcu to see if he needs any extra help. He's already being bogged down by reports on the squadron from 1st Lt. Vecap."

Kobayashi nodded. "Right… well have a good day."

"You too," Ooke returned before heading towards the technicians attending to the navy fighters.

Kobayashi proceeded to level six to find Lt. Chelcu in an office provided for him. Just as Ooke had said, Nydo was already sorting through numerous piles of paperwork with rigorous earnest. Kobayashi bade him a good morning, which he returned with a mumble, too transfixed on his work to look up and speak properly. Kobayashi then went straight to the lieutenant.

"Need any help with that mountain of paperwork, sir?" he asked.

Lt. Chelcu glanced at him. "Oh, get the technical reports from the flight deck tower, will you?"

"Yes, sir," Kobayashi turned on his heel and left.

The rest of the day followed as the morning had; retrieving information or sorting through files and reports in order from most important to least. Ooke's observation about Nydo proved to be correct; the man was constantly on the move as if it were a race to get more done. He was cordial enough, but he always tried to beat Kobayashi at getting the reports sorted out or receiving information that the lieutenant needed. It was somewhat irksome.

An afternoon chat with Ooke relaxed Kobayashi a bit, whose patience was beginning to wear down after a morning of Nydo constantly cutting him off and jumping in front of him to get or give information first.

"So how did a country boy who can't stand cities suddenly enjoy the confining space of an engine room?" Kobayashi asked conversationally as the two strolled around the compound on their lunch break.

Ooke shrugged. "I've never found an engine room confining. I've always loved machinery. I confess I'm not a genius at the subject, but I am very capable, and it is my love. The engine room is essentially the only place I don't find confining. There's a whole _world_ in there—the power to drive ships through space! Machinery that pumps air into the ship and creates an entire atmosphere, machinery that creates artificial gravity—that's the power of a planet, mate."

Kobayashi laughed at his new friend's enthusiasm. "What say you to a stroll outside the base—I heard there's a river nearby. We can go see the copper deposits."

Ooke looked a bit uncertain. "Are we allowed to leave the compound?"

"Of course we are; we just need to check in and out," Kobayashi reassured him.

The two exited the building and went to the edge of the perimeter. A private approached them with a data pad. The two signed themselves out and then exited, walking northeast.

"So what's Pedd 4 like, anyway?" Ooke asked. "Where in Aipic City did you live?"

"Eh…" Kobayashi wracked his mind for the information he had looked up on Pedd 4 for situations like this. "Well, Aipic City is rather large… lots of people in there, you wouldn't like it too much. It has a great theater, though."

"Yeah… doesn't it have a planetoid for a moon?" Ooke prompted.

Kobayashi silently cursed—of course that would be the _first_ thing a native would mention. "Yes, it does. You can see it in the sky day and night."

"That must be beautiful," Ooke commented with a smile.

"So, what about life on Corulag—you haven't told me much." Kobayashi quickly turned the conversation around.

Ooke breathed a content sigh as the two trekked through the forest. "Oh, the terrain in Corulag is breathtaking. The urban cityscapes are a great technological sight, but the real beauty is in the natural wonders of my home—the bamboo forests that spread for kilometers without end, the vast freshwater oceans…"

Ooke stopped walking and was looking ahead before pointing. "I think I see copper water!"

Kobayashi looked excitedly and the two ran towards the river. It glittered like rubies in the sunlight. When Kobayashi dipped his hand into the water he felt copper pieces slipping and bumping against his skin. "No wonder the pre-hyperspace population stayed on the edge of the continent—they'd die of water poisoning with this."

"It certainly smells interesting," Ooke commented, wrinkling his nose.

The smell of copper was wafting in the air rather heavily, combining with the scent of water in a mixture that Kobayashi hadn't quite experienced before. Their time was cut short when Kobayashi's comlink chimed.

"This is Ens. Beillane," Kobayashi answered.

"Ensign, I don't mind you going for a stroll," Lt. Chelcu said. "But I hope you realize that there is a curfew."

Kobayashi and Ooke looked at each other stupidly. "Oh,"

"I advise you come back quickly," Lt. Chelcu said dryly.

"Yes sir," both ensigns responded before Kobayashi cut the connection.

The two turned to make a hasty retreat to the command center, trying to retrace their steps. As they scampered about the woods, Kobayashi noticed with a knot in his stomach that they were lost.

"Terrific," he muttered. "Any idea where we are?"

Ooke moaned. "No,"

Suddenly, the two were startled into motion as they heard the sounds of engines flying overhead. Kobayashi swore. "Those aren't TIE fighters!"

Kobayashi and Ooke stayed in the cover of the trees as they tried to get a good look at what was happening, only to find themselves diving for cover as artillery fire from nowhere began to pelt the area. Kobayashi looked around wildly and saw that he and Ooke had wandered a bit _too_ far - he was staring right at a hunk of Rebel artillery, and it was about to fire again.

Yelping, Kobayashi leapt out of the way, calling to Ooke. When he didn't hear a response, Kobayashi swore again; either Ooke was dead or he had been separated in the chaos.

Another explosion from an artillery shell literally sent Kobayashi flying and he landed on something metal.

Kobayashi gasped trying desperately to bring air back into his burning lungs. The metal he was lying on suddenly started to shift and move, startling him, but he was still too out of breath to move.

Another artillery shell shook the area. Kobayashi moved his addled head and tried to get up once more to no avail. Then, as if he weren't confused and disoriented enough, Kobayashi suddenly saw Ryy staring at him. As he furrowed his brow in utter bewilderment, the sergeant reached down to Kobayashi and began dragging him up whatever he was lying on.

This caused Kobayashi to belatedly realize that he was lying on a _troop carrier_.

The door slammed shut and locked. Kobayashi was still gasping for air, too out of breath to even realize what had just happened. Only when the troop carrier began to move did it finally register that he was a naval officer in an army vehicle.

"Uh, w-wait!" he yelled frantically, but to no avail.

"Don't open the door—you'll get blown to pieces!" a stormtrooper said.

"I'm not an army officer—I'm a naval ensign!" Kobayashi quickly said.

"What—Kobayashi, what are you doing here?" Ryy suddenly recognized the frantic ensign.

"I didn't mean to—you pulled me in—I was—"

"Calm down, ensign, we'll figure this out." Ryy held up his hands as his squad watched. "Are you trained in ground combat?"

"I know basic combat," Kobayashi said shakily, picking up a blaster. A snort of laughter was heard from one of the stormtroopers.

"HB-420, get him some armor," Ryy ordered one of his eight men.

"Yes sir," the stormtrooper nodded and stood quickly, going to the back of the troop transport.

"Where are we going?" Kobayashi asked Ryy hesitantly, already having an idea what the answer would be.

"We're on our way to the Rebel base" Ryy said. "As I'm sure you've noticed, the assault has already begun. The Rebels are returning fire and you're not pulling out of this without getting yourself butchered by their artillery."

"Isn't there any way you can drop me off _somewhere_?" Kobayashi asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not," Ryy shook his head. "We can't afford to stop. You won't be called upon, ensign, so relax. You will stay in here unless it is absolutely necessary for you to do otherwise. The armor and blaster is just a precaution."

Kobayashi nodded. "Okay,"

After quickly slipping the armor on, Kobayashi took a blaster and sat beside another stormtrooper. The atmosphere was tense, and Kobayashi was already extremely nervous, so he decided that a bit of conversation would help relieve the stress. He faced the stormtrooper beside him. "So who are you?"

"HB-423, sir," the stormtrooper said dutifully.

Kobayashi shook his head. "No, your _real_ name,"

"Melke, sir,"

In five minutes' time, Kobayashi quickly learned that HB-420's name was Celran, HB-421's name was Wily, HB-422's name was Karbus, HB-423's name was Melke, HB-424's name was Almel, HB-425's name was Wilrax, HB-426's name was Jon, and HB-427's name was Dakgent. Wilrax and Almel were brothers from Corellia. They had been in the Imperial Army since its conception. Dakgent, a twenty-one-year-old man from Kuat, was the newest one in the group, while the native of Coruscant, Karbus, was a veteran of three battles and had served for two years. Melke and Wily were both from Belasco, though they were not related. Celran lived on Naboo his whole life. Finally, there was Jon, who hailed from Galleefryn II.

Learning that much took time and when Kobayashi asked Ryy where he was from, and received 'Coruscant' as an answer, the troop carrier came to a halt. Ryy placed his helmet over his head and the stormtroopers stood as one. Kobayashi remained seated as the sergeant had ordered.

The door opened and the troops rushed out. Kobayashi immediately heard blasters firing, people screaming, and grenades exploding.

Kobayashi felt his stomach churn. The closest he had gotten to a battle was a small skirmish that was merely a demonstration to an unruly planet to remind it of its place. It wasn't even considered combat amongst the veterans.

The troop carrier shook and shuddered, and Kobayashi heard its gun firing. Then, the carrier lurched horribly and began to tip over. Kobayashi stumbled and quickly grabbed hold of a handle on the opposite wall. Metal screamed as the carrier began to tear apart under fire. Realizing that the carrier wouldn't make it, Kobayashi crawled, tripped, and ran towards the exit, which was now where the ceiling should have been.

Kobayashi hauled himself up and when his torso peeked out of the carrier, he saw the battle before him. The Rebel base was rather large like the Imperial command center and it was just as well fortified. While the air field was empty of bombers and over half its X-wing complement, it had plenty of A-wings to make up for it, and they were actively firing upon the ground troops who had no air support whatsoever (Kobayashi could imagine this was because the Rebel air raid was doing more than enough to keep the Imperial fighters busy...). However, the army did have three AT-AA's which were firing repeatedly at the Rebel fighters. Five anti-infantry turrets lined the Rebel base while three anti-vehicle turrets demolished Imperial tanks and walkers.

It was then that Kobayashi noticed one of those anti-vehicle turrets had turned its barrel towards his troop carrier.


	3. Military Mishap: The AutoTurret Control

"Get out!" Kobayashi yelled into the hatch towards the driver before pulling himself out entirely. He leapt off the carrier, landing hard and stumbling down a rocky hill before hitting a tree directly in the gut, winding him and stopping his descent.

Breathless, Kobayashi rolled onto his back, his eyes wide. An instant later, he heard the troop carrier explode and saw pieces of it flying. He didn't know if the driver had gotten out or not.

Kobayashi managed to sit straight, still gasping for air. He stared around wide-eyed when his eyes suddenly glanced over a man who wasn't wearing an Imperial uniform of any sort. The man slowly approached him, pointing his blaster rifle at Kobayashi's chest.

"Don't move," he said with a voice that held no fear or anxiety. This man was a battle veteran. Kobayashi remained silent and still.

The Rebel was barely two steps away from Kobayashi. Then, suddenly, a bright blast flashed by Kobayashi and hit the Rebel directly in the chest. The Rebel dropped dead.

Kobayashi stared at the corpse. It was the first time he had witnessed a death directly.

"Are you alright, sir?"

The voice of a stormtrooper speaking through his helmet snapped Kobayashi back into focus. He twisted where he sat and saw a squad of stormtroopers approaching him.

"Yes, I'm fine," he nodded and stood, albeit shakily.

"Good to know that, sir," the stormtrooper said with a nod. "Why aren't you in the troop carrier?"

Kobayashi raised an eyebrow. "Is this the Rancor Squad?"

"Yes, sir," the stormtrooper nodded. "This is HB-427 speaking, sir,"

"Of course," Kobayashi nodded, feeling a little foolish after seeing the markings clearly on the stormtroopers' armor. A rancor's head was marked on their helmets and their numbers on their chest plates. "Where's Ryy?"

"He's dead, sir," Dakgent answered shakily, startling Kobayashi.

"Who's in charge, then?" Kobayashi asked uncertainly.

The stormtroopers looked from one to the other. "No one, sir; there is no superior officer in this squad as of now."

Kobayashi looked at the masked faces for a long while. Another explosion made most of them jump. Kobayashi could immediately tell which one was Dakgent simply by his body language; the man was terrified.

He then knew what he had to do. "Actually, there is a superior officer in this squad as of now, men: me."

"Sir?"

"I may not be an army officer, but I am an officer for the Empire nonetheless," Kobayashi said. "Follow my lead."

The stormtroopers saluted him in unison. "Yes sir!"

Kobayashi climbed the rocky hill, wincing slightly at the bruises and cuts on his head which he gained from the tumble. He thought of nothing as he climbed except how to keep himself and his squad alive; adrenaline allowed for no other thought.

When they reached the top, Kobayashi hazarded a glance at the battle. Most of the Rebel fighters had been shot down, but all of the Imperial anti-aircraft walkers were destroyed; they had no other way to eliminate the rest of the fighters. However, there was one way to do so; the Rebels had an anti-aircraft turret stationed directly beside the base. If Kobayashi's squad could capture that turret, they could destroy the rest of the air attack and save the rest of the army a great deal of trouble; the A-wings were shredding through the infantry and tearing holes in the walkers and tanks.

Kobayashi quickly ducked down and looked at his squad. "All right, men, here's what we have to do.

"The Rebels are going to be fortified as long as they have power over the sky. Our AT-AA complement has been completely destroyed and they still have at least five fighters in the air firing at our men. If we are to have any chance at surviving this, the Rebel's anti-aircraft turret is just that. We have to get through the battle and capture that turret."

"Sir, they still have their fighters, not to mention at least three turrets still operational!" Jon protested.

"We also still have two AT-PTs out there firing at those turrets," Kobayashi replied.

Kobayashi turned to the battle and peeked over the hill once more. The base was directly in front of him. Between him and the base sat two anti-infantry turrets, an anti-vehicle turret, a mobile proton torpedo launcher (MPTL), and what must have been a company of Rebel soldiers. The Imperials fighting against them consisted of a battalion of troopers, two AT-PTs, and one troop carrier (which could only carry a squad).

The troop carrier was hiding behind obstacles, appearing to be the makeshift command center. Debris of all the other Imperial and Rebel arsenal littered the battlefield.

Kobayashi examined the area thoroughly. He and his squad could safely get around about half of the distance through the cover of the trees, but they would have to come out in the open to start heading directly towards the anti-aircraft turret. The turret itself was just a step behind one of the anti-infantry turrets.

"Let's go," Kobayashi said to his squad, sneaking around the perimeter of the base. His stormtroopers followed silently.

The battle raged on as they snuck about the compound. The screams of Rebel and Imperials alike rang in Kobayashi's ears, making him shudder slightly. However, adrenaline and survival instincts were taking priority and therefore he did not give it much thought. He had a squad to worry about, after all.

When they had gone as far as they could in the cover of the trees, Kobayashi once again peeked into the fray. One of the anti-infantry turrets had been destroyed, but it wasn't the one directly beside the anti-aircraft turret. The anti-vehicle turret had shredded one of the AT-PTs, and the other was beginning to smoke. The MPTL was falling apart from constant fire from the remaining AT-PT, but the Rebel fighters were still doing the most damage.

From the look of it, the remaining anti-infantry turret was quite preoccupied with the numerous stormtroopers already trying to storm the base. However, Kobayashi knew that the turret was equipped with proximity sensors; it would pick up any troop in range, including those out of the visual contact of the trooper manning the turret.

Kobayashi's thoughts were interrupted when a Rebel trooper caught sight of him. Kobayashi quickly pulled out his blaster and shot the man. He then ducked back to his squad.

"Listen," he said to get their attention. "We only have one chance to get to that turret. If we're too slow we'll all be shot. Jon, you and Wilrax will take the lead and enter the turret first; it will be manned with armed troops. Melke, you and Karbus will follow them. Almel and Wily, you two are their backup. Celran, and Dakgent, you two along with me will cover these men as they make their way to the turret. Understood?"

"Yes sir!"

The troops lined accordingly and then waited for Kobayashi to give them a signal. Kobayashi watched the anti-infantry turret firing upon unsuspecting Imperials. When it swiveled completely away from their general direction, Kobayashi quickly ushered his squad forward.

The stormtroopers were blasterbolt fast, nearly leaving poor Kobayashi behind. Just as the anti-infantry turret began to turn in their direction, Kobayashi and the remaining stormtroopers in view dove behind the anti-aircraft turret.

Jon and Wilrax had already entered the turret and Kobayashi heard firing. Melke and Karbus quickly entered the fray as well. The remaining stormtroopers stood and waited. Almel and Wily were positioned just around the door entering the turret to jump in if needed.

When the firing stopped, Kobayashi motioned for Almel to check on the situation. Almel entered slowly with his blaster at the ready. A moment later, Jon exited.

"We've captured the turret, sir," he said, but his voice didn't sound entirely triumphant.

"What's wrong?" Kobayashi asked with a sense of dread.

"It's Wilrax, sir. He's dead."

Kobayashi blinked. Then he blinked again. A cold sense of horror settled into his bones, widening his eyes and stealing his breath. "Wilrax… he's what?"

"He's dead, sir," Jon repeated.

No… Kobayashi had ordered a man to his _death_?

"Sir, we should use the turret before the Rebels realize we've captured it," Wily intoned.

Kobayashi jumped. "What? Oh… yes, of course. Jon, take out those… those Rebels."

Jon nodded and entered the turret once more, which quickly came to life and immediately began firing upon the A-wings. Unfortunately, the anti-infantry and anti-vehicle turrets noticed this change in behavior and began to turn their weaponry towards the newly captured turret.

"Sir, what are your orders?" Dakgent asked urgently.

Kobayashi shook himself. He _had_ to focus otherwise he would kill the rest of his squad. "Get our men out of there."

"But, sir, they haven't destroyed all of the A-wings!"

"They'll get killed if they stay in there—"

Kobayashi's statement was cut off when the remaining AT-PT successfully managed to destroy the anti-vehicle turret. Now all that was left was the anti-infantry turret.

This victory didn't last long. The MPTL finished off the AT-PT… and the anti-infantry turret was still taking aim at the anti-aircraft turret.

"Get out of there!" Kobayashi shouted to the troops inside.

Karbus, Jon, and Melke rushed out of the turret.

"Where's Almel?" Kobayashi asked them.

"He's trying to get his brother's body out," Melke replied.

Kobayashi paused but then the anti-infantry turret began to fire at the captured turret. "There's no time—get him _out_!"

Jon nodded and he entered once more, accompanied by Melke. A moment later, and not a moment too soon, the three exited and the squad went running as the turret exploded.

Kobayashi looked up at the sky. There were still two A-wings. The Rebels now had more arsenal at their disposal than the Imperials.

"Blast it," he cursed.

"Sir, we should report to the command base," Jon suggested.

Kobayashi thought about it for a moment. "Very well… let's regroup at the command post."

"Yes sir!"

Kobayashi led the survivors back through the trees towards the makeshift command post. When they entered, the major immediately turned to see them. A holographic projector stood in the middle and showed the progress of the battle.

"Who are you?" the major asked suspiciously.

Kobayashi and his troops saluted him. "Ens. Kobayashi Beillane, sir,"

"_Ensign_ Beillane?" The major raised an eyebrow and returned the salute. "What's a navy space dog doing in the dirt?"

"An anchor was wrapped around my leg, sir, but I'm making do," Kobayashi responded quickly. "Sir, I and my men are here to help in any way we can."

The major looked to his other officers. Then he returned his glance to Kobayashi. "Are you and your men willing to take a more dangerous mission, ensign?"

"We would die for the Empire, sir," Kobayashi responded.

The major smiled. "I like you, even if you are a space dog."

Kobayashi beamed.

"Now, we can break that MPTL and even destroy the last turret, but our numbers will have been thinned. There's no way we can take down the fighters until our own come to save the day. Our main priority is to capture the base, but it is heavily guarded. Now, my men can take care of the troops, but we need someone to eliminate the auto turret defense system." The major continued. "You and Dark Wolf Squad will capture the auto-turret control center while we finish off the Rebel defenses outside. We cannot enter the command base until you have completed this task. Is this understood?"

Kobayashi nodded. "Yes, sir,"

The major then called a communications officer and told him to recall Dark Wolf Squad.

Barely a moment later, eight stormtroopers and a sergeant entered the command center. The sergeant pulled off his grey helmet and goggles, revealing a young face which was already dripping blood from a bad gash on his left cheek. His slightly tanned skin was soaked in sweat, but his fiery brown eyes were steady. The man had a small pug nose, which was flared as he breathed quickly. "You called, sir?"

"Sgt. Knelx, this is Ens. Beillane," the major introduced the pair. "You two will be serving alongside each other in capturing the auto-turret command center."

"We have no other support, sir?" the man asked in a thick accent Kobayashi couldn't quite recognize. "There will be at least fifty men in that post."

"I'm afraid we can't spare any more troops, sergeant," the major shook his head. "Now you two get going. Good luck."

The sergeant, Dark Wolf Squad, Kobayashi, and Rancor Squad saluted the officers and then exited the command post. The squads leapt into the cover of the trees before crouching down in a circle. Kobayashi and the sergeant sat in the center.

Sgt. Knelx grabbed a broken branch and drew the auto-turret control center. "There are only two ways into this building: from the outside and from within the base. Since we have no choice but to take the outside entrance, we will have to set grenades in first. It will attract their attention and they will send out guards. We can thin them out easily through the door and then some poppers should do the trick for any turrets in the immediate room."

"So where is the command area where the controls are?" Kobayashi asked.

"Three levels below," the sergeant replied.

"And how exactly will we get there in one piece?" Kobayashi inquired in a not-so-calm tone.

"We will work it as we go along," the sergeant said, standing up. "We cannot plan for everything and we will have some time if we eliminate all the Rebels on the ground level."

Kobayashi stood as well and the stormtroopers followed their commanders' lead. "Then let's go."

The two squads headed in the same direction Kobayashi had taken his men earlier. However, they went further, going almost directly behind the base. An oval-shaped building with a flat grey roof stood with a rectangular connection to the base. The entrance had a pass code lock just left of the door.

Sgt. Knelx motioned one of his men to the door. The stormtrooper placed a small sticky grenade to the panel and then quickly ran back to the squads. In five seconds the panel blew, taking the door with it, and the men ran forward, flanking the door. In the smoke, Kobayashi ordered two of his men to begin firing randomly before falling back out of sight.

Soon after, blaster bolts flew out of the doorway but hit no one. The Rebels still couldn't see in the smoke. Kobayashi ordered his men to throw in poppers, more formally known as electro magnetic pulse grenades. They would automatically disrupt and disable all electronics in the room, including the auto turrets.

Just after the bright blue light shone out of the door along with the alarm-like shriek of the grenades, Rancor and Dark Wolf Squads ran inside the building, using their helmets to see through the smoke and quickly eliminating the rest of the Rebels. Kobayashi and Sgt. Knelx then entered as the smoke cleared.

Auto turrets were sizzling as bits of electricity shot around them. About fifteen Rebels were dead on the floor.

"Sir, we have a problem," SK-885, a member of Dark Wolf Squad, said.

"What is it?" Sgt. Knelx asked.

"The poppers seem to have taken out the lift,"

"The poppers wouldn't affect the lift," Jon argued. "It must be the Rebels. They probably already know we're here."

"Then we have to work fast," Sgt. Knelx said.

"We need to cut off their entrance in here from the main command base," Kobayashi immediately interjected. "Jon, Almel, and Wily, you three set charges in the entrance hallway and cave in the ceiling. Make sure they cannot get in here."

"Yes sir!" the three stormtroopers ran to do as ordered, leaving them with twelve stormtroopers.

"How are we going to get down there now?" Kobayashi asked Sgt. Knelx.

The sergeant paced back and forth, all the while staring at the floor. "How much arsenal do we have?"

Kobayashi counted it all. "All together, we have thirty-eight poppers, fourteen sticky grenades, eighteen thermal detonators, and fifty-eight power packs."

"That should be enough," Sgt. Knelx nodded. "We need to blast a hole in the floor."

"What?"

"Get your men to set up their sticky grenades and then get out fast."

Kobayashi stared at the sergeant and then shook his head with a laugh, ordering his men accordingly. Each stormtrooper carried only one sticky grenade, so it took two of Kobayashi's men and two from Dark Wolf Squad. Kobayashi then called his three troopers from the hall back over after hearing them successfully cut off any entrance from the main base. They all then exited the bunker within the five second time limit and another explosion rocked the building.

The two squads entered once again. Six droid poppers flew down into the cavernous hole, distracting the Rebels and disabling the turrets. Then the stormtroopers finished the job.

The two squads made sure the Rebels in the level below them were eliminated, and then Sgt. Knelx asked for an arsenal count once more.

The response was quick: "We have thirty-two poppers, ten sticky grenades, fifteen thermal detonators, and fifty-six power packs."

Four more sticky grenades were thrown down to the floor and the troops pinned themselves against the walls of the bunker as smoke spat out of the crater in the floor as the grenades exploded. Security was obviously heavier as more blaster bolts flew out immediately. However, three thermal detonators and two EMP grenades finished them off quickly.

The squads jumped down one level and then did a third arsenal count: "We have thirty poppers, six sticky grenades, twelve thermal detonators, and the same amount of packs."

Two sticky grenades and a thermal detonator obliterated the last floor. Blaster fire came out and killed a member of Dark Wolf Squad, who tumbled down to the bottom floor. Another two thermal detonators seemed to kill the soldiers, but the auto turrets were still firing. Five poppers quickly eliminated them.

"Arsenal count," Sgt. Knelx ordered.

"Twenty-three poppers, three sticky grenades, seven detonators, and fifty-two packs," Kobayashi counted.

"DV-883 and DV-881, you two go down there and make sure there are no survivors," Sgt. Knelx commanded.

"Yes sir," the two stormtroopers nodded and leapt down a level. Immediately, explosions lit up the room, making Kobayashi yell and leap back along with most of the troopers.

"What was _that_?" Kobayashi shouted as he coughed through the smoke.

"Sounded like mines, sir," Jon said, not affected by the smoke at all with his helmet firmly on his head.

"How do we know if they've all been activated or destroyed?" Kobayashi asked.

"There's only one way to find out," Sgt. Knelx.

"And what is that?"

"To go down and see,"

Kobayashi gaped at him. "You'll get killed!"

"If I'm very lucky, I won't," Sgt. Knelx flashed a calming smile. He grabbed a fibercord grappling hook from his belt and launched the hook into the ceiling. He then began to lower himself to the bottom floor. He stopped just above the ground, examining the area.

"There's one more down here," he called.

"How are we going to deactivate it?" Kobayashi asked the sergeant. "Wouldn't a popper just set it off?"

"You could do that, yes," Sgt. Knelx said. "But if we set it off, it might bring the foundation of the building down on all of us,"

"Then deactivating sounds like a great idea!" Kobayashi quickly replied. "Where is it?"

"You'll have to throw it—"

The rest of the sergeant's explanation was lost in a loud explosion which came from _above_ the squads. Then voices and footsteps followed.

"What's going on up there?" Kobayashi hissed.

"Sir, it sounds like they broke through our makeshift barricade to the base," Melke suggested.

As soon as Melke spoke, Rebels began to fire on their position. They shot the cable, which sent Sgt. Knelx plummeting to the bottom floor with a yell.

The last mine exploded.

The explosion sent Kobayashi tumbling. He landed on top of a torn console, but due to his armor he wasn't injured—just disoriented. However, he wasn't wearing a helmet, so his head beat into the wall, making everything foggy.

"Sir, we could use some help!"

Kobayashi shook his head and sat up, though it made his head throb. Two more of Dark Wolf Squad were killed. Rancor Squad was hiding in corners, firing, and then moving to a new position, a tactic Dark Wolf Squad began to follow. Kobayashi quickly moved before he was shot, though a blaster bolt slapped right into his leg, causing him to collapse.

"There are too many, sir!"

Kobayashi grimaced against the pain in his head and leg. He then looked down to the level below them. "Jump to the bottom!"

"But sir, the mines—!"

"Sgt. Knelx set the last one off, now _move_!" Kobayashi interjected.

The stormtroopers quickly did as ordered and Kobayashi followed them. They all had a hard landing and then scrambled for cover. Wily and Jon were badly injured and Karbus was only firing with one arm.

"Are any of you good with slicing and hacking?" Kobayashi yelled.

"I am, sir," DV-881 responded immediately.

"See if you can get those auto turrets running again and attack the Rebels!"

"Yes sir!"

The sound of a metal object bouncing on the ground quickly attracted Kobayashi's attention. "Look out!"

Celran grabbed the thermal detonator and flung it back up. It exploded halfway to the Rebels and threw debris everywhere. The stormtroopers quickly took cover before resuming their fire.

"We're getting pinned down here, sir! They have the high ground!" DV-887 yelled.

"Just wait for the auto turrets!" Kobayashi shouted in response. He prayed that DV-881 could get the job done _before_ they were all killed.

"Sir, the auto turret defense system is dead!" DV-881 shouted.

"Looks like we did our job all too well," Kobayashi muttered before cursing. He didn't know what to do.

"Fall back!"

Kobayashi blinked and looked up. _"Huh?"_

The Rebels stopped firing and continued to shout, "Fall back!"

Kobayashi wasn't the only bewildered one. The rest of the stormtroopers seemed just as clueless.

"Sir?" they all looked to him.

Kobayashi shook his head. "I'm just as confused as you are."

"Is anyone down there?" the voice a stormtrooper speaking through his helmet called down to them.

"Yes!" Kobayashi and his men quickly responded.

Three cables were sent down to them so they could climb to the top once more. Kobayashi and all the other injured were sat down and treated as the Imperials fortified the control center to make it a new command post. The unharmed stormtroopers were sent to join Death Company.

"What's the progress of the fight, sir?" Kobayashi asked the major.

"Our birds came and finished off the A-wings," the major said proudly. "We have defeated their outer defenses and now it's just a matter of having enough manpower left to capture the base. If worst comes to worst we can bomb it, but we want to get any Intel we can. You're finished with the fight, however; you've done your part. Well done, space dog."

"Just doing my job for the Empire, sir," Kobayashi smiled tiredly.

The major nodded and walked off to deal with the remainder of the battle. Wily looked over at Kobayashi, his face unmasked. The man was very handsome with a strong chiseled face with smooth olive skin. He had thick black spiky hair and nut brown eyes. Wily was a pure Belascon.

"Are you alright, sir?" Wily asked.

"Oh, well enough," Kobayashi shrugged. "How about you, Wily?"

"Essentially the same, sir; I've had worse damage," Wily responded with a Belascon accent: thick 't's, rolled 'r's, and soft 'd's.

"You've had worse?"

"Oh yes, sir," Wily nodded with a big smile. "I fought during the Clone War from beginning to end. I enlisted back then… it's how I met Catria. She and I were training at the base on our home world and we married a year into the war.

"Anyway, I fought on Jabiim, so I was shredded in the process. I had an organ replacement for my stomach because it was peppered with shrapnel in the battle. So this is nothing."

Kobayashi smiled. "It must be nice to have a home and family to go back to."

"You don't?" Wily raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'm… I'm an orphan," Kobayashi's smile turned melancholy. He essentially was an orphan, anyway.

"I'm sorry to hear it, sir," Wily said sincerely.

"Just call me Kobayashi,"

Wily laughed. "Kobayashi, then… I hope to see you some time after all this. You're a great man."

Kobayashi felt his cheeks flush. "Thanks,"

* * *

><p><strong>Review!<strong>


	4. Military Mishap: Call Me Kobayashi

Once the Rebel air raid had been defeated outside the Imperial base, the Imperials could send more tanks (the ones that weren't destroyed in the air raid), including medical vehicles. The one Kobayashi was in carried three patients. The vehicle was rectangular with an exposed cockpit. A box-like metal structure held a steel covering over the rest of the speeder to protect the patients and medics.

Kobayashi had an IV going in him to keep him calm and numb. The medics had said he had a mild concussion, and the IV fluid was quickly making his body tingle as his mind floated into a sensation that only a drug could induce.

When Kobayashi finally came to, he found himself in the medical bay of the Imperial base. Lt. Chelcu was watching him from a distance while a doctor attended to him.

"Good morning, ensign," Lt. Chelcu said with a gentle smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Bit groggy," Kobayashi slurred. He still felt extremely light headed and things weren't quite making sense.

"That's to be expected," Lt. Chelcu nodded. "They say you can be released by tonight. Get plenty of rest until then."

"Yessir…"

The next time Kobayashi awoke, his mind was far clearer and sounds connected to the people who were making them. He knew where he was and what had happened. A doctor was checking over him and noticed he was awake.

"Good evening, Ens. Beillane," the doctor greeted. "You can leave now,"

Kobayashi sat up automatically without giving it much thought. However, the moment he did, his world began to spin once more, though not nearly as horribly as it had been earlier. A medical droid came over to assist him as well as a nurse. The two escorted Kobayashi out of medical center where Ens. Tunrott was waiting.

"I'll take him from here," Ooke said. The nurse nodded and motioned for the droid to release Kobayashi. Ooke then quickly slipped Kobayashi's right arm over his head and walked with him slowly.

"I heard all about your little adventure," Ooke laughed lightly. "It must have been interesting. The army officers are all buzzing about it."

"Mm," Kobayashi acknowledged.

"Well, the doctor's orders are to rest in bed until tomorrow afternoon and then you can continue your duties as long as they aren't strenuous." Ooke explained. "You won't have much to do, really; we're leaving in two days' time."

"We are?"

"Yep," Ooke nodded and then the two reached their quarters. Ooke kicked the door instead of pressing the beeper, and it hissed open to reveal Nydo.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Nydo asked as he helped Ooke bring Kobayashi into the room.

"Pretty well," Kobayashi mumbled as they assisted him into his bed.

"Good; get plenty of sleep," Nydo and Ooke said. The two then lowered the light setting and exited the room.

Kobayashi slept fitfully and didn't awake until the next evening. He then leapt out of bed, regretting sleeping in so late, and rushed to Lt. Chelcu's office.

"Sorry… late… I… slept in…" Kobayashi panted.

Lt. Chelcu raised an eyebrow before standing and walking around his desk. He sat Kobayashi in one of the seats. "Didn't the doctors say _don't_ overexert yourself?"

"I was… late…"

"Relax, ensign, it's understandable," Lt. Chelcu said. "Just don't sleep in tomorrow. Go get some dinner, and I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes sir," Kobayashi offered a feeble salute before exiting the office and going to the mess hall. He quickly caught sight of Ooke and Nydo and joined them at the table.

Ooke and Nydo were very obliging. Nydo, despite being extremely competitive while on duty, was very friendly off duty and even offered to get Kobayashi his dinner for him. Ooke kept Kobayashi preoccupied by having a constant conversation with him. The two gave him plenty of food and water and then all three ensigns went to their room to turn in for the night.

The next morning, Kobayashi awoke bright and early along with his fellow ensigns. Ooke headed to the flight deck while Nydo and Kobayashi went directly to Lt. Chelcu's office.

The rest of the day was spent as a normal day would be spent. Kobayashi and Nydo brought messages, sorted through information, filed everything, and scheduled meetings for the lieutenant. That evening, they began to organize the naval part of the return to Death Squadron alongside Ooke and 1st Lt. Vecap. The three ensigns did the main bulk of the work and then handed the reports to 1st Lt. Vecap, who would organize it according to importance and presented it to Lt. Chelcu.

At the end of the day, the three promptly collapsed in the officers' lounge.

"You know, I think I'm going to miss this place," Ooke said. "I didn't get to see too much of the planet."

"We rarely do," Nydo said in his dry voice. "We're part of the navy, after all."

Kobayashi simply listened to the conversation and relaxed. He still tired rather easily, which was quite a nuisance, but he supposed in a day or two he would be back to normal.

The next morning the departure began. Kobayashi, Nydo, and Ooke oversaw the technical staff and droids while 1st Lt. Vecap oversaw the pilots. They then reported that all naval personnel were ready for departure and boarded a transport along with Lt. Chelcu.

The same shuttle that took them to Pillasium carried them away from it. Kobayashi, who was sitting beside Ooke, looked out the window and watched as the world turned into a ball of copper, green, and white.

When they finally reached the _Executor_, it seemed as if it had been an eternity since Kobayashi had last stepped aboard the ship. He felt heavier somehow, most likely due to the battle in which he took part. At least he had survived it alongside most of his men.

As they all disembarked, Lt. Chelcu pulled Kobayashi aside. "You won't have to worry about getting everything in order. You have other duties to attend to."

"Yes sir," Kobayashi said somewhat wearily. He began to walk off when Lt. Chelcu stopped him.

"I have a few words to say before you go," he told Kobayashi. "First, I want to congratulate you on your excellent performance down there. The Empire wants officers like you. Your show of command, quick thinking, and adaptability is just what the Imperial Navy needs. While the army is the one who received your orders, it will be the _navy_ who will promote you. Congratulations, 2nd Lt. Beillane."

Kobayashi's eyes widened. "S-second lieutenant, sir?"

Lt. Chelcu nodded. "You deserve it."

Lt. Chelcu then pulled out an extra red rank badge and pinned it next to Kobayashi's ensign badge. Kobayashi saluted him, and he returned the salute.

Just as Kobayashi began to walk away, he turned around with a smile. "And sir?"

"Yes, second lieutenant?"

"Call me Kobayashi,"

_Fin_

* * *

><p><strong>So what did you think? Review! We all love Koby, after all. :-)<strong>

**Oh, and by the way, see if you can count how many _Little One _characters were in the story. The actual amount might surprise you!  
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